Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Xai-Xai and Beira

For one person, living is cheaper in Beira: $382 a month against $680 in Xai-Xai, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Xai-Xai
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Xai-Xai Living Index

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Xai-Xai

🇲🇿 Mozambique

$680

/mo nomad

Beira

🇲🇿 Mozambique

$382

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Xai-Xai and in Beira

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Xai-Xai and in Beira actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $680 in Xai-Xai versus $382 in Beira.

Xai-Xai $680
Beira $382

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,143 in Xai-Xai versus $726 in Beira.

Xai-Xai $1,143
Beira $726

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,607 in Xai-Xai versus $1,071 in Beira.

Xai-Xai $1,607
Beira $1,071

Living in Xai-Xai is roughly 78% more expensive than in Beira, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities sit below the global median: Xai-Xai 50% lower, Beira 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.00 MZN 632

$12.50 MZN 791

-20.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.2 MZN 3,932

$46.40 MZN 2,935

33.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.29 MZN 461

Cappuccino

$2.25 MZN 142

$3.11 MZN 197

-27.65%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 MZN 54.6

$1.19 MZN 75.2

-27.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 MZN 44.08

$1.15 MZN 72.8

-39.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.54 MZN 97.6

$1.30 MZN 82.0

18.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 MZN 150

$1.99 MZN 126

19.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 MZN 96.1

$1.63 MZN 103

-6.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MZN 65.4

$0.30 MZN 18.76

243.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 MZN 101

$1.51 MZN 95.8

5.30%

Eggs

$2.43 MZN 154

$1.87 MZN 118

29.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.25 MZN 1,344

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 MZN 360

$3.80 MZN 240

49.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.55 MZN 351

$4.59 MZN 291

20.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 MZN 126

$2.31 MZN 146

-13.85%

Banana (1kg)

$0.76 MZN 48.08

$2.32 MZN 147

-67.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 MZN 103

$2.32 MZN 146

-29.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 MZN 66.2

$1.24 MZN 78.4

-15.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 MZN 63.7

$1.22 MZN 77.3

-17.21%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 MZN 50.2

$0.99 MZN 62.4

-20.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 MZN 58.9

$2.32 MZN 147

-59.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 MZN 54.5

$0.71 MZN 45.10

21.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.74 MZN 174

$0.96 MZN 60.7

185.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.08 MZN 638

$8.33 MZN 527

21.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 MZN 62.5

$1.04 MZN 65.8

-4.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 MZN 81.1

$3.80 MZN 240

-66.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.55 MZN 98.0

$0.75 MZN 47.74

106.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 MZN 75.4

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.71 MZN 1,563

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 MZN 89.4

$1.40 MZN 88.6

0.71%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$32.1K MZN 2.0M

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$22.8K MZN 1.4M

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$70.5 MZN 4,459

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$7.86 MZN 497

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.5 MZN 5,597

Cinema Ticket

$8.01 MZN 507

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$129 MZN 8,179

$90.1 MZN 5,699

43.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,214 MZN 329.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.93 MZN 3,158

$19.15 MZN 1,211

160.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MZN 3,541

$38.82 MZN 2,455

44.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.1 MZN 4,938

$38.78 MZN 2,453

101.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.1 MZN 5,065

$46.72 MZN 2,955

71.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Xai-Xai: October 11, 2026

Last update for Beira: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Xai-Xai

$223 32.8%

Beira

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Xai-Xai

$167 24.5%

Beira

–

Eating Out

Xai-Xai

$148 21.7%

Beira

–

Clothing & Footwear

Xai-Xai

$119 17.5%

Beira

–

Sport & Entertainment

Xai-Xai

$16 * 2.4%

Beira

–

Getting Around

Xai-Xai

$7.5 * 1.1%

Beira

–

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $62.0 in Xai-Xai vs $46.00 in Beira for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $223 vs $159 per month, with Beira cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇿 Xai-Xai

🇲🇿 Beira

🕒 Local time

01:08 1:08 AM

Same time as Xai-Xai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

116,343

436,240

💱 Currency

Mozambican Metical MZN MT

📈 Exchange rate

100 MZN = 1.58 USD

100 MZN = 1.41 EUR

100 MZN = 1.58 USD

100 MZN = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Xai-Xai Beira 590 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Xai-Xai
Beira

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Xai-Xai vs Beira: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Xai-Xai and Beira differ by about 78% in total monthly costs ($680 vs $382 including rent). Beira is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,020 in Xai-Xai and $573 in Beira to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Xai-Xai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $680 per month in Xai-Xai versus $382 in Beira – a 78% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Beira gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Beira gentler on the wallet – expenses run 78% less than in Xai-Xai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.